I'm assuming Wiggins was not available.
Mike Kay
I was reading takes on this trade and, boy, fans hate Gar/Pax. I've never seen anything like it. It's like reading the worst of political comment threads. Do Bulls officials notice this, and do you think it's as unprecedented as I think it is? From my end, Gar/Pax seem to me a pretty average crew, with average returns. I could name 15 franchises off the top of my head who are basically in the same position, but to hear fans' take, we are the worst. Are you seeing the same thing?
Alejandro Yegros
You talked all the time about DRose's knee injury and how hard it is to come back from. In your article you said nothing of the sort. You said the Bulls were confident about recovery and talked about how the Bulls now have a foundation and a future. How is drafting a seven foot rebuild of channing frye, getting an injured shooting guard going into restricted free agency by the time he returns, and a PG who shot 37% and is old as far as young players go... a foundation? My plan would have been to trade with the Celtics before the draft for #3 pick and Marcus Smart. Draft Fox. It wouldn't have been much to ask for, and maybe they get lucky and DWade opts out. Maybe the Celtics throw in Rozier too. This deal made was bad on so many levels.
Jake Henry
Considering the loss of Carter-Williams and probably others (Mirotic?), the Bulls suddenly have a lot of cap room. Should they keep Rondo as insurance in case Dunn is a slow learner? And Jalen Rose expressed the opinion that the Bulls were fleeced by the Timberwolves. What is your opinion of the trade?
David Thompson
I am apparently in the minority of Bull fans as I was never a big Butler fan because I felt he was a poor leader and undermined the team with his efforts to be their leader. Jimmy was part of 2 big time chokes against the Cavs and a big choke this playoff after Rondo went down. Yes he is a good well meaning young man but as a leader and how he plays did not fit what the Bulls need. It appears to me that the focus of this team is now off the players and on Hoiberg to pull it all together using his approach with players that now appear to fit his scheme. Do you agree with this?
Tom Pappalardo
So the Bulls traded Butler for the 7th pick, Lavine and Dunn. It's too bad they had to include the 16th pick, but whatever. Ainge... Ends up with Tatum and a future pick. He could have added Fultz AND Butler or at least one of them... Instead just Tatum. I realize they can still add Hayward. How is Ainge viewed as a genius and Pax is viewed as needing to be fired? Butler led the Bulls to a 41-41 record. What am I missing?
Victor Devaldvielso
For the first time since Luc Langley was drafted, The Bulls have made our major newspaper here in Australia. Here is the headline: "Trade that made the once mighty Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA". We are up for a tough few years aren't we?
Mike Burling
Amid the vitriol being spewed your way this morning by angry Bulls fans, this is an amazing trade for Jimmy. KAT is a superstar, a true top NBA player. Wiggins is a natural scorer. And Jimmy gets to show these guys how Thibs expects it to be done. One bad year does not make a bad coach and some around the league have forgotten just how good Thibs is. The TWolves have the potential to be very good, Jimmy will get a lot of credit for the turnaround, and yeah he gets to play with KAT and Wiggins and coached by Thibs.
Ron Goldberg
With the addition of Dunn at point guard, how do you see MCW, Grant, and Payne panning out for the Bulls next season? Let's not forget Canaan and Rondo. Do they move or release one or two? If so, what other positions on the team do the Bulls need to address?
Dawn Parker
I love how everyone wants the Bulls to do something and then when they finally do it the same people are upset with what they got. What did they expect to get for Butler? I think this deal was as good as they were going to get. Of course most of this depends on LaVine's health, that to me is the biggest issue with whether or not it was a good deal for the Bulls, so we won't really know for a few years, and that's how trades work, usually a risk somewhere. The other thing that I think is that usually a city overvalues their "star" and think he is better than what he is. To me, I think the other NBA fans/media around the nation are putting Butler too high compared to what I think his value is.
He is a great player with a bunch of tools that I love don't get me wrong, but he just is not a #1. Put him on a team with Lebron and Kyrie and sure that is looking great with him being a #2 or #3 type player for your organization, but he is not that superstar you can call a #1 to lead your team to a championship. I will always be grateful of how hard Jimmy worked and thank him for the years he put in and how much fun it was to watch him progress each year. He is obviously a hard worker and dedicated to his development. I think he is in the right place with Thibs and this trade can end up working for both sides. Give GarPax a break people, they did the best they could with this situation!
Jon Kueper
Do me a favor, tell GarPax to cut the drugs or share them with us cause obviously something is wrong. Clearly they are on crack or something else. They couldn't even hold on to the Bulls 1st rounder in such a deal. How can someone get ripped off that much? Also I dont get Ainge. He should have paid and gotten Jimmy. That is the only way the Celtics would have been able to make some noise. They wont help him this or next season. And who is this Mikka Hakkinen? Are they hoping they landed Porzingis or something? Let this all be a bad dream...
Rick Mittwich
This Bulls' fan is back! Woohoo!
Yuriy Fomin
Kris Dunn! Holy moley, a real point guard that rebounds, distributes and plays the other side of the ball. Haven't seen much of him, maybe his shot is broken. Can't wait. LaVine has an ACL - that means he's re-learning how to play. May not be of much use for a while. Markkanen is said to be soft. Bulls already have one of those, unless they lose Mirotic not so sure what that's about. Second unit. Dunn+Valentine+Zipser. I do wish they'd taken Bam with the pick, that would have given them the rim protector that can switch on the perimeter and a guy that can take it hard to the rim.
Pete Zievers
Sad to see Jimmy get traded. Not sure what the near future holds for this team. He was our best player. How does this compare to the Elton Brand trade?
Ateeq Ahmed
They don't deal my favorite Bull, Robin Lopez. Doubt he wants to be on a rebuilding team. Going to be a crazy summer.
Mike Sutera
Great trade for the Bulls because you have to look at it also as getting a top five pick next year by being bad versus number 16 again. It will be fun and hopefully they've done their homework and scouting.
Jeff Lichenstein
I hate to see Jimmy go, but it made no sense to keep him. He will earn a max deal for his next contract and that's not conducive to rebuilding a young team. As for what they got, how much better could they do? A lottery pick point guard they tried to trade Jimmy for last year, an uber athletic 2 who could be headed for the All-Star team himself if he recovers from surgery, and a three-point shooter who has the potential to be Kyle Korver plus six inches of height. That's three lottery picks who bring youth, athleticism and shooting to a team whose needs going into the draft were listed as youth, athleticism and shooting. Of course it's a risk. They could all bomb, and Jimmy could sustain a terrible injury. But at some point you've got to pay your money and take your chances. I wish everything good for Jimmy Butler. He's been a great role model and a great citizen, not to mention a great player. I hope to see him and the Timberwolves go far in the 2018 playoffs. And I look forward to rooting the young Bulls on as they develop their full potential.
Kirk Landers
I must be the 4,000th person emailing you about this by now, but...
Couldn't we have gotten more for Jimmy? And is it too late for Dwyane to rescind his contract agreement? It would seem better for both parties to part ways.
Matthew Mikulice
What are details on the trade exception? I know it's $15.3 million but how can it be used - how does it work? And why is it good for only a week? And with Butler gone, who starts at small forward?
Tom Plonowski
Can you explain to me what the Bulls are doing? I really don't understand.
LaVine just tore his ACL! Disappointed again.
Mark Bakr
The Butler trade looks like the Bulls are getting ready to dump salary in order to sign free agents for 2018/2019. Of course, they will probably find out that, once again, top players don't want to come to Chicago. Where is Jerry Krause when the Bulls need him most?
William Kochneff
The number of second round picks that were sold was startling especially in a supposedly strong draft. The sale of #38, especially to the Warriors, was really puzzling as the Bulls D league proximity seemed like it could be ideal for prospects. Very recently Gar/Pax were positive about the 38th pick. What is your take? Who is the 3, small forward? Is this not Bell’s position?
John Petersen